Not all service members are eligible to participate in the new program and there are many factors to consider when deciding to switch.

Here are the key points of the blended retirement system to help you understand the new program.

What are the 2 retirement systems for service members?

Under the legacy retirement system, a service member is required to serve a minimum of 20 years to receive retirement pay. If they get out before then, they received nothing toward retirement. The military has realized that not many service members stay until the 20 year mark.

The new blended retirement system was created to allow all service members to leave with something toward retirement even if they do not stay in the service for a long period of time.

The new program blends the legacy retirement pension with a defined contribution that goes toward a service member’s Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). This is basically like combining the pension plan with a 401(k) type plan. The longer a service member stays in, the higher their pension will be. The blended retirement system also takes into account inflation and adjusts based on the annual cost of living adjustment.

The new blended retirement system was created to allow all service members to leave with money toward retirement even if they do not stay in the service for 20 years.

Who is eligible?

Anyone entering the military from January 1, 2018, on will be automatically entered into the blended retirement system. All service members that are active as of December 31, 2017, are already in the legacy program and will remain in it. They will not be automatically switched to the new blended retirement system.

Service members with less than 12 years as well as Reserve with less than 4,320 retirement points as of December 31, 2017, have the option to switch to the blended retirement system. These service members have all of 2018 to make the decision to switch, but once the decision is made, it cannot be changed.

Those that do change to the blended retirement system will be required to take a mandatory opt-in course through Joint Knowledge Online or through Military OneSource.

Who is not eligible?

All service members with 12 years or more in service prior to December 31, 2017, are grandfathered into the legacy retirement system and remain in it. There is nothing in their retirement plan that will change. If you are in this category and would like to review the legacy system, you can see that here.

What are some benefits of the blended retirement system?

Should you opt into the new blended retirement system or stay with the legacy retirement? This mostly depends on how long you plan on staying in the military.

If you serve less than 20 years and are on the legacy system, then you won’t get a monthly annuity or government contributions to your TSP account when you get out. If you switch to the blended retirement system, then you will have money toward retirement.

Here are a few benefits to consider in the new program.

Contributions

Under the blended retirement system, the government will automatically contribute 1% to your retirement. Additionally, you can receive up to 4% in service matching contributions if you elect to put more toward your retirement. Automatic and matching contributions will end at 26 years of service.

New service members are not eligible for the up to 4% match until the start of the 25th month of service. They will however get the automatic 1% contribution after being enrolled for 60 days.

Portability

When you leave the service, you can have your TSP transferred to an IRA or to an eligible employer’s 401(k).

Bonus Pay

Service members can receive a one-time bonus pay by agreeing to serve more time. This is known as continuation pay and is payable between performing 8 and 12 years of service. The bonus pay could be between 2.5 and 13 times your regular pay based on the service-specific retention needs. If this bonus pay puts you in a higher tax bracket, you can opt to receive your bonus in 4 equal payments over 4 years instead.

Lump Sum

When you retire, you’ll have the option to take your retirement payment as a lump sum. That sum would be a discounted portion of the retirement pay however. You can choose to take 25% or 50% as a lump sum.

If you do not choose to do a lump sum, then you will receive your retirement check monthly.

What questions do you have about the new blended retirement system?

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It’s the new year and along with resolutions, new tax regulations and the Winter Olympics, we also have the annual military pay increase.

For active duty, the 2.4% pay increase will be the largest pay raise since 2010. But is it enough?

In years past the raise has been a little lackluster, but this year most folks are pretty happy with the pay increase. How much are we going to see? For active duty, the 2.4% pay increase will be the largest pay raise since 2010. For my spouse, that means a monthly increase of just under $100 a month. Not too shabby, maybe we can finally institute a monthly date night.

To see how much the pay increase for active duty personnel will benefit your household, check out the 2018 Military Pay Rates chart here. Retirees and disabled veterans can find more information about the new COLA rate by clicking here.

In addition to all the stir about the pay increase, you might also have heard that BAH rates are ticking up slightly. And by slightly, I mean just barely at 0.7% on average, but an increase is an increase, I suppose.

The average service member will see less than a $20 increase in their BAH rates, but over the course of the year, an extra $240 can come in handy. If you’re like me, that’s my budget to replant my vegetable garden and buy a new watering can.

Keep in mind that the uptick in BAH is not a blanket increase. Some places will see as much as 10% to 15% (Beale AFB, Mountain Home AFB and Fort Wayne), while other places like Fort Riley, Camp Lejeune and Pensacola will see BAH drop as much as 5% or more.

Don’t worry if you already live in one of the areas that will see a decrease. Current regulations prevent BAH dropping for personnel already stationed at a particular location. Only incoming personnel will be affected by the drop.

That being said, make sure you do your research if a PCS is in your future.

One thing many folks may not be aware of, however, is the current BAH dampening plan to push 5% of housing cost responsibilities back to service members by 2019.

Even with the increases offered to many this year, service members will see the increase in their BAH not stretching as far as it did in years past. The published 2018 BAH rates will only cover 96% of the average housing costs, with an additional 1% reduction expected next year. The thought is that this plan will free up some much-needed funds in the defense budget.

I’m not sure how I feel about this idea. In part this feels like another inch in the steady erosion of military pay and benefits. In many specialty job positions, services are struggling to retain qualified military personnel who reap the benefits of training while in service only to be romanced away by the large salary and benefit offers coming from civilian employers.

I understand the money has to come from somewhere, but in my experience, BAH has frequently not kept up with growing housing costs and given that service members have no say in the duty stations they are assigned to, reduction in the BAH benefits will make PCSing to some duty stations that much harder.

In places like Virginia Beach, San Diego and Washington, D.C., where the cost of living is already 15% to 40% higher than the national average, even a 5% reduction in benefits will hit service members’ wallets hard.

And it doesn’t exactly scream “stay in” when it comes time to consider re-enlistment.

When you consider this pay increase – that’s not really an increase – along with some of the jumps in medical costs put out by Tricare for 2018, the benefits so many service members expected as part of their pay is slowly but surely being whittled away.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not going to turn down a pay increase, but it’s important that we remain aware of what those increases actually mean. And when you consider that the call to serve is answered by so few, I have a hard time understanding why pay and benefits seem to be on the steady decline.

What do you think of this year’s pay increase for service members?

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Nearly 20 million honorably discharged U.S. veterans will soon have the opportunity to shop online through the Army and Air Force Exchange service. This change in policy comes after years of pressure to open shopping to all those honorably discharged men and women.

As of Veterans Day, November 11, 2017, all honorably discharged U.S. veterans will be able to shop the exchange online.

This new privilege will only extend to online shopping however, not shopping in the physical exchange. Through the website, veterans will be able to purchase any items except for uniforms, alcohol and tobacco products.

The exchange estimates that this could bring in between $226 million and $1.13 billion in annual sales. An increase in sales also means an increase in funds for MWR programs.

Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) receives the majority of its funding from exchange dividends. The more sales the exchange has, the more programs MWR can offer. MWR programs are in place to support the “readiness and resilience for Soldiers and Families.” Programs include child and youth services, libraries, entertainment, sports and fitness, automotive skills, crafts and more.

Starting November 11, 2017, all honorably discharged U.S. veterans will be able to shop the Army and Air Force Exchange website. Through the website, veterans will be able to purchase any items except for uniforms, alcohol and tobacco products.

Recently, exchange dividends have been low and MWR has not had the funds to support their usual programs. The Army has had to use some of this money to improve its daycare centers since budgets have been cut so much. The low sales have been due to the decline in the active duty force and base closures as well as the ending of tobacco product discounts and smaller profits from cheaper gas being sold. Opening online sales to all honorably discharged veterans is expected to quickly solve this problem.

Veterans will enjoy saving on average 20 percent over commercial stores while those families with base access will be enjoying better MWR programs. It’s a win-win situation for all.

This has been a two-year effort to open online shopping up to honorably discharged veterans. In the fall of 2016 the Defense Department’s Executive Resale Board voted unanimously to open online shopping to veterans and the Deputy Defense Secretary approved it.

AAFES has been preparing for the expansion of shoppers by improving the website, call centers and warehouse and distribution systems. They are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense Manpower Data Center to determine a way to verify that exchange shoppers are in fact honorably discharged veterans.

Shopping will only be available to veterans online and only for the exchange.

There are currently no plans to open shopping at the commissary up to honorably discharged veterans. This is because the commissary is run differently than AAFES. The Defense Commissary Agency receives a $1.4 billion operational subsidy annually that is funded by taxpayers. An increase in shoppers at the commissary would result in a higher cost for taxpayers in accordance to the current system. DECA therefore, is not considering adding veterans to the list of eligible shoppers.

Honorably discharged veterans however are excited to able to shop at the exchange online, even if they can’t also shop at the commissary. The Army and Air Force Exchange service has received outstanding support for this program and is anticipating a huge turnout of veteran online shoppers on Veterans Day.

You can keep up with announcements as the date for launch of this program approaches and learn how you can establish your identity as an honorably discharged veteran through their website.

What do you think of this policy change for the military exchange shopping privilege for veterans? Are you a veteran that will be shopping online this Veterans Day?

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Seeing weapons in a military environment is nothing new. Part of all military instruction includes training with firearms. Rules and regulations are paramount for safety and the security of military armories is taken extremely seriously. And life on and around military installations post 9/11 has seen armed security become part of the norm, for service members, civilians and family members alike.

But even with heightened security, gun violence and tragedy has impacted our military communities.

We will never forget the horror and aftermath of the shooting at Fort Hood in 2009 or forget the lives lost at the recruiting station in Tennessee in 2015. When these kinds of tragedies strike, it is human nature to immediately look for ways to prevent them from happening again.

Many called for the option for all active duty personnel to be able to carry weapons. And so, it seems, the DoD has listened to these calls for concealed weapon carrying on military installations.

After a review of the shootings in Texas and Tennessee, and with the acknowledgement that all duty locations do not the same level of security, the DoD authorized both its civilian and military personnel to carry private, concealed weapons onto DoD property. This includes military installations, DoD buildings and facilities, and recruiting stations.

In a 26-page directive issued on November 18, 2016, the DoD clarified guidelines for personnel authorized to carry weapons and use deadly force in the course of official duty. The directive also provides for the command’s ability to authorize private, concealed weapon carry onto DoD property for DoD personal who do not require a weapon for the execution of their daily duties.

No Blanket Permission Policy

Permission to carry weapons is not an absolute. Permission must be granted by an O-5 level officer or higher and must be provided in writing. Authorization to carry cannot exceed 90 days, but permission may be re-authorized for additional 90-day periods.

Authorization to carry private weapons does not extend to members of the National Guard, as rules and regulations pertaining to the use and carry of weapons is governed by each individual state government.

Private, Concealed Gun Carry Has Many Restrictions

Be at least 21 years of age and licensed in the state or host-nation they wish to carry in.

Must not have had previous USMJ disciplinary action or be under investigation for any offenses that would bring their “fitness to carry” into question.

Must not have been previously convicted or be currently charged in a civilian court for substance abuse, stalking, harassment, or domestic violence.

Must not be under the influence of alcohol or hallucinatory drugs while carrying the weapon.

Must provide proof of “competence with a firearm” from a certified training course offered by the U.S. government, a police agency, DoD, state, local or tribal government-approved safety or training course. Or a course offered by a law-enforcement agency or college.

Must notify the authorizing authority immediately should their ability to follow these guidelines change.

A concealed weapon must be completely covered by clothing or uniform at all times and it must not impair a carrier’s normal job function. State laws must be followed with regard to “caliber, ammunition, capacity, and design,” and while the weapon is on-person, it must kept in holster, even if carried in “purse, backpack, handbag, or case.”

When a weapon is not being carried, it must be stored unloaded in a secure gun-storage device and if it is stored in a vehicle, that storage device must be hidden from view. Carriers transporting a concealed weapon off of DoD property must follow all state, local, and/or host-nation laws pertaining to the carry of that weapon.

And last, but certainly not least, personnel wishing to carry a concealed weapon must understand that they are personally liable for any injury, death or damage to property that occurs due to negligence “in connection with the possession or use of privately owned firearms that are not within the scope of their federal employment.”

Will Concealed Weapons Carry Permits for Service Members Keep Our Military Bases Safer?

It is hard not to see the logic in charging more members of our community with its safekeeping. However, there are questions to be asked and legitimate causes for concern.

Will arming additional personnel help to prevent or end shooting incidents faster?

Or will it create another layer of confusion and slow security personnel and first responders when reacting to a firearm incident?

Are the safety risks associated with gun carrying acceptable and reasonable for stateside and non-combat duty locations? Or are we willing to accept that level of risk if it could possibly prevent injury or harm on a larger scale?

What do you think of the Pentagon’s decision to allow service members to carry concealed weapons?

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On any given day, my husband and I exchange a volley of “what sounds good for dinner?” and “I don’t know, what sounds good to you?” We hem and haw before one of us finally breaks down and offers up a suggestion. But we haven’t always been so nonchalant about our daily meals.

When our children were young and my husband was a junior enlisted soldier, our monthly budget was tighter than a pair of skinny jeans after Thanksgiving dinner.

To make ends meet, we got creative with our food choices, shared living arrangements with another couple for a while, and gave up trying to save money each month.

Paydays were cause for celebration. It meant the promise of at least a few days of good eating.

We turned to the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program for some food assistance. We prayed that nothing would go wrong with the car. We hoped that the kids wouldn’t outgrow their clothes too quickly. Our bimonthly pilgrimage to the commissary helped us stretch our budget even further.

I’d say it is high time DoD took notice of how many service members are turning to food assistance programs like WIC and SNAP.

We were far from the only ones struggling to make ends meet. We knew countless other young military families doing their best not to resort to a diet of ramen noodles, peanut butter and water.

Which is why a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggesting that the Department of Defense (DoD) has no idea how many service members are turning to public food assistance programs like WIC and SNAP is a bit surprising.

DoD is tracking valid numbers for the military’s FSSA program, but with so few military families utilizing the program, and with the speculation that many service members find shame and embarrassment at the involvement of their chains of command, the program will be calling it quits in September. Fewer than 300 people qualify for FSSA worldwide, according to DoD.

When you consider that a 2015 study suggested that as many as 1 in 4 military families are using some kind of food assistance program to supplement their food budgets, it becomes clear that the data is an important part of understanding our community’s current state of affairs.

Throw in discussions about commissary closures, BAH reductions and cuts to our health care programs and one has to wonder if DoD officials truly understand the day-to-day challenges faced by today’s military families.

The GAO’s report recommended the launch of a joint effort between the USDA and DoD to gather these numbers, and based on my own personal experiences, I’d say it’s about time.

Implications of inadequate food budgets are far-reaching. When military families worry about putting food on the table, mission-readiness suffers. Inadequate nutrition, while a significant concern for children, is also part of a healthy lifestyle for service members and their spouses. What’s more, with the buying power of food dollars fluctuating from duty station to duty station, morale can suffer when nothing more than a PCS takes away a family’s sense of independence and self-reliance.

My husband is fast approaching retirement, but for the entire extent of our military journey, we’ve known young military families challenged by food costs, many of whom have had to turn to food assistance programs or food banks.

Looking back, as a young military spouse, I was too busy trying to keep up with the daily rigors of being a military spouse, mother and employee to stop and think about how wrong it was for members of the best military in the world to have any issues keeping their families fed.

In the end, we were lucky. We managed to weather the storm and now enjoy the luxury of not having to worry about what’s in our pantry or refrigerator.

But not all military families are as lucky as we have been and with this issue being so prevalent, and in light of the fact that it’s been a challenge for our community for as long as I can remember, I’d say it is high time DoD took notice.

Now it’s your turn: Do you think DoD needs to do a better job of tracking food assistance program data? Why or why not?

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Oh, budget cuts. We military families cringe when we hear that in association with the military. Why do we see these cuts happen and why do they have to hurt so much? Why is cutting Tricare, housing and other benefits the best way to handle the budget?

The truth is, only 1 percent are serving and because of that, a lot of people don’t understand what we need.

I have been a military spouse for more than 10 years now and I have seen plenty of other ways to cut the budget instead of cutting where it hurts the most. That makes me wonder, why is the military an easy target for budget cuts?

This is a reduction in benefits any way you look at it. Another pay cut. The military is an easy target since they aren’t allowed to be political.

Is this true? Is the military an easy target for cuts because the military is not allowed to be political? I think there is some truth to this but it isn’t the main reason.

The biggest reason is because few people in the government have a real connection to the military. You are more likely to make cuts to something you think that a small percentage of the population will actually be affected by.

Although military members themselves can not be political, others who are associated with the military and who care just as much can be. Spouses and those who have served in the past. Those with children serving or with parents who have served. They are people who can get political about the cuts.

Because of this, there has to be more to the cuts than just the fact that those who serve can’t be political.

When my husband joined the military, we didn’t know too many people who were also making that choice. Over the years that has changed as we have met more and more military families. However, when we go home we still feel like the minority when it comes to the military. This isn’t true for everyone of course. Others come from big military communities and have known the military life before they became a part of the service themselves.

The truth is, only 1 percent are serving and because of that, a lot of people don’t understand what we need. They don’t understand that when you sign up to fight for your country, you expect your family to be taken care of in return. That you shouldn’t have to worry that your health care will be cut, that services for your special needs kids will suddenly be taken away or that you have to worry that you will not make enough each month to support them.

If we could figure out a way to make sure everyone with the power to change this knows what military families need and what we don’t, things might change. If they could hear the voices of the military spouses and other family members, maybe they would find another way to make their cuts. If they could truly understand what the budget cuts do to the 1 percent serving in the military, maybe they would do something else.

This means that change needs to come from us, those that stand behind those serving in the military. We need to be aware of the changes that are being made and do what we can to stand up against them. This won’t always be easy and sometimes things will feel like we are not even making a difference, but the more people understand what military families need, the better chance we have for things to change.

Do you agree with that statement the “military is an easy target since they aren’t allowed to be political?” Why or why not?

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For the last 40 years the commissaries have been put on the chopping block only to come out strong.

Will commissaries see budget changes this year?

Last year the Senate and House debated privatizing the commissaries over the next several years to save money. They wanted to cut the $1.3 billion annual Department of Defense subsidy for the commissary system. Luckily, this proposal didn’t make it through.

Don’t relax too much thinking the commissaries will be safe now. This year the politicians are at it again.

The House and Senate have come together on a new plan for the FY 2016 Defense Authorization Act. This consists of:

reducing the FY 2016 commissaries budget cut from $322 million to $30 million;

they scrapped the idea of privatizing the system and are now requiring a DoD plan to make the commissary and exchange benefit “budget neutral” by the end of 2018;

specified that these must maintain high levels of customer satisfaction, provide high-quality products, and sustain the current level of savings for customers.

What does this mean for the average shopper at their local commissaries? The most notable change would be prices. Some patrons would notice their prices going up while a select few might find them going down.

How could this be?

What lawmakers are considering here is variable pricing. Currently, prices are set at commissaries across the board. Under this change, commissaries would see price changes based on location.

Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., a brigadier general in the Army Reserves chairs an Armed Services subcommittee that lead the hearings recently on overhauling the stores. He says commissaries could improve how they sell products and become more efficient if they utilized a variable pricing method. Following commercial grocery stores strategies, prices would be set by the market.

For example, prices at commercial grocery stores are higher in New York then they are in Alabama. Just reading this proposal, Fort Drum patrons will be balking at the idea, whereas those at Maxwell AFB may be more open to it since they would be the ones possibly seeing the lower prices.

Heck hopes this plan will help get commissaries to a break-even plan. He says that they currently lose money on every sale.

If that doesn’t do the job, the other plan proposed is to create a commissary brand, much like commercial grocery stores have. Selling items under a Defense Commissary Agency label was part of a consultant lead study that was presented to Congress last fall. This is likely to be the main topic of discussion on the Hill this year.

The worry here for most people is that the quality of the products might not be the same as the commercial brands that are currently being sold at commissaries. The study claims that the products would be at the same level and patrons would still save money over local grocery stores. To match that quality however, there would likely be an increase in prices.

If either of these proposals get enough lawmakers to support it, they could be added to the National Defense Authorization Act, which is a huge bill that shapes military policies and takes most of the year to work through.

Will commissaries see changes this year or are they safe, at least for another year?

Only time will tell, but if the last 40 years of failed proposals to cut the DoD subsidy have a standing basis then maybe things won’t change.

Once the presidency changes, initiatives might as well. Everything is a big “if” for the moment and commissary patrons will be watching closely to see if one of the greatest nonpay benefits for service members will see a big change.

What do you think of these proposals to make changes to the commissaries?

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Every year military service members and their families wait to find out what is going to change with their BAH rates. BAH, which stands for Basic Allowance for Housing, is based on your ZIP code. This allowance is supposed to be put toward your housing costs.

On average, BAH is only meant to cover 98 percent of housing costs instead of 100 percent.

If you live on post, you are not going to get BAH but you won’t have to pay rent either. If you live in privatized housing on base, you receive your housing allowance and pay it to the private housing manager each month.

If your BAH rates have gone up you will be making a little more each month. On average they have gone up $54 per month this year, nationwide. However, the amount that the BAH is supposed to cover is down 2 percent.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t find a place within the limits of your monthly allowance, but that on average, BAH is only meant to cover 98 percent of the costs now instead of the full 100 percent that the allowance used to cover.

If your rates have gone down, you don’t need to worry at first. They will not change until you move or when your service member gets a promotion. Then they will be adjusted based on your location and rank.

Now, if the rate that you are supposed to get paid when you change rank is lower than it was before the change, you will be grandfathered in to your old rate. This is good because no one will receive less than they are getting in the previous year unless they are making a change.

I always used to enjoy that first paycheck of the new year when our LES reflected our new BAH rates. We were lucky in that all our time in active duty Army, the rates always went up. This didn’t mean that we would run out to buy a bigger house or spend more on rent but having a little bit extra each month to put toward our bills was always nice.

When buying a house, we knew we wanted our mortgage to stay below our BAH. Luckily we can make that happen in our current location but that might not always be the case. You should keep in mind that off-base rent might be pretty close to your BAH since a lot of the landlords know the BAH rates and charge based on that amount.

If your BAH does go up, put the extra money in savings or use the money to help with your debt. You will be glad that you did.

In the case that your BAH is going down and being close to a move or a promotion, think about how much you will be getting after the change. You might find yourself frustrated because of the change. You might have assumed you would be making more money once you got promoted but sticking to a budget will be your best bet. Make housing choices based on the new amount and you won’t run into any financial problems.

If you are planning a move to a new duty station, check the rates for the next year. When trying to decide on where to live, you will need to know how much in BAH you are going to be getting. Ideally, you should have your BAH cover your housing, including utilities, but that isn’t always a possibility in all areas.

With proper planning, you don’t have to worry if your BAH fluctuates. You can adjust and figure out how to make the new rate work for you and your family.

Is your service member’s BAH increasing in 2016? Click here to find out so you can start planning for any future moves or changes to where you are living.

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Arizona Republican Senator John McCain released a statement criticizing the government for wasting money by not budgeting for PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moves.

With all the government monitoring out there, it is hard to believe that there is no government oversight with PCS moves.

More than 600,000 service members and their families PCS each year. As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, McCain received the Government Accountability Office’s report which criticized the government for not tracking the money spent on PCS moves and did the math. This lack of oversight is costing the government a lot of money.

In a statement Sen. McCain said

Despite the crippling effects that sequestration is having on our military services, the Defense Department continues to throw millions of dollars out the door as it fails to adequately manage the costs and budget for service member relocations.

The government has been spending more on PCS moves lately, with a remarkable increase over the last 14 years. That is an increase from $3.8 billion annually to $4.3 billion last year according to the Government Accountability Office’s report.

Interestingly enough, these costs are rising while the number of PCS moves continue to go down. Annual moves are actually down 12 percent. In 2001 for example 731,000 troops had PCS moves while only 646,000 moved in 2014.

Why are PCS costs so high?

PCS moves incur fees for shipping household goods, storing them and issuing travel allowances, temporary lodging expenses and other costs. Officers are allocated more money for PCS moves than enlisted service members and the Air Force has more officers than any other branch. Having troops PCS more frequently then they are suppose to is also causing an increase in cost.

There are time frames set by the government for how long a service member is suppose to be stationed in one location. The time actually allocated between PCS moves is not being followed or tracked. While commands are suppose to report how long service members are in a location, they are not doing so. They are also allowing troops to PCS before they are scheduled to.

The entire PCS system is not being monitored at all. With all the government monitoring out there, it is hard to believe that there is no government oversight here. Because DoD does not evaluate whether the PCS system is efficient, it cannot identify changes that need to be made to lower costs or to determine how to control it.

The Government Accountability Office’s report recommends that DoD initiates a system to report all PCS budget data, evaluate the PCS program often and make a point to seek out data on why service members are moved before their minimum station length is reached. It would also recommend required waivers for early PCS moves.

DoD agrees with Government Accountability Office’s recommendations. What will actually happen now or how long it will take is undetermined. One thing for sure is that military families will be keeping an eye out for changes to PCS moves.

What do you think? Do you agree with Sen. McCain? Do you have any suggestions on how DoD can save money when military families PCS?

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It seems as if every time you turn around there’s talk of Tricare changes. It isn’t just talk any more. As of October 1, 2015, there is a big policy change by the Defense Department. It issued a major change to how beneficiaries receive long-term medication that is brand name.

Tricare will no longer allow these maintenance medications to be filled at retail pharmacies.

All reoccurring medications must now be either ordered through the Tricare mail order pharmacy system, Express Scripts, or picked up at a military treatment facility (MTF).

Why is Tricare changing their policy on maintenance medication refills at retail pharmacies?

The reason why is abundantly clear, to save money. The government is always looking for ways to save money and this is yet another avenue they are choosing to go down. 61 million prescriptions, last year alone, were filled at retail pharmacies using Tricare. That cost the government $5.1 billion.

Using military treatment facilities or Express Scripts will save the government 32% on brand-name maintenance medications over retail store purchases. Government officials estimate moving to this new policy will save $88 million annually.

It isn’t just the Department of Defense that will save money. Beneficiaries are forecasted to save around $176 per prescription over the course of a year by no longer paying co-pays at retail pharmacies and instead having them filled at an MTF or through Express Scripts.

What will happen if you don’t switch to Tricare mail order pharmacy and instead try to fill your brand name drug at a retail pharmacy? You will pay 100% of the cost.

For immediate needs, new prescriptions for brand-name long-term care medications can be filled at retail pharmacies, but only for a 30-day supply or less. If more than 30 days is needed, the beneficiary is required to get further medication from a MTF or through the Tricare mail order pharmacy.

What happens if you run out or there is an emergency and you can’t get to a military treatment facility?

Tricare will continue to grant case-by-case exceptions for beneficiaries to include personal hardships, emergency and other circumstances. Those requests will need to be made through Express Scripts.

What will happen if you don’t switch to Tricare mail order pharmacy and instead try to fill your brand name drug at a retail pharmacy? You will pay 100% of the cost.

Because it doesn’t cost the government nearly as much, beneficiaries can still fill generic drugs using Tricare at retail pharmacies. Medications that treat acute illnesses and prescriptions that are covered by other insurance can also continue to be filled at retail pharmacies.

What are maintenance drugs?

Maintenance drugs are medications taken on a regular basis for chronic, long-term conditions. These include drugs that control blood pressure, antidepressant medications and painkillers, for example.